


You Can't Take Pain If You Don't Care

by dunbar



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 05:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12125337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dunbar/pseuds/dunbar
Summary: Set after 6x19 / during 6x20. Liam's a mess and gets himself hurt.





	You Can't Take Pain If You Don't Care

**Author's Note:**

> i want to believe mason's quote @ theo was foreshadowing because i'd love that? so this is that hypothetical situation, sorry it's a mess please blame the fact that it's 3:30am and i have a migraine and am a fool

The sight of Nolan lying dead on the floor of one of the hospital's rooms wasn't something Liam had been ready to find. He'd thought that Nolan had to have set him up, but the picture in front of him was so contradictory to that, he wasn't sure what to do with himself. And then it set in, that this kid, a _15 year old_ , had given his life just to help Liam and his friends. He wanted to do something right after all the mistakes he was forced to make, and he paid the price. That was who the hunters were.

Theo shouldn't have been surprised when Liam lost his temper a bit, and stormed off to find Gabe. He also shouldn't have been surprised when Liam attacked Gabe, or when Gabe was prepared and stabbed Liam brutally in the side of his stomach with one of his crossbow arrows, blood spilling everywhere. Theo had been surprised though, or he'd have stopped it beforehand, but the best he could do at that point was watch and hope to a god he didn't believe in that Liam would at least still have the strength to push Gabe off. He did, though, and Theo rushed over and knocked Gabe out from behind while he was distracted. 

What surprised Theo the most, of everything, was the way Liam fell to the ground after, like the fight had taken everything out of him. Theo was used to seeing Liam hurt, it happened too often when they were together because they were usually in some kind of danger, but he wasn't used to seeing him in too much pain to stand. That was new, so Theo practically ran over and dropped to his side without a second thought.

Theo looked down at the wound, and it really just looked like something Liam would normally have no trouble healing from. But he wasn't healing, he looked more like he was dying.

"Was the arrow coated with something? This is a hospital, there's probably something around here to help." Theo tried not to let his voice come out too panicky, but seeing Liam barely keeping his eyes open was hard to stomach.

Liam just shook his head though, holding the arrow with one hand like he was going to pull it out but was too weak.

Theo wanted to pull it out too, because it wouldn't heal like this, but the way Liam looked, on the verge of passing out even without the blood loss yet, was far too worrying right now.

"No? Liam, what does that even mean?"

"I can't save anyone." Liam breathed shakily, his bloody hand dropping from the arrow to the floor. 

Theo stared at him, confused, when it all hit him. He'd read enough while with the Dread Doctors to know that if a werewolf felt too hopeless or lost, they could lose the will to heal as well. He'd also read that supernatural healing had to be triggered by something, either by more pain or less, from someone else taking it. 

"You saved me." Theo said softly as he picked up Liam's wrist, both their hands trembling a bit more than he'd have liked. Liam looked lost, a weak eyebrow raised in question. Theo closed his eyes and tried to steady his breath. Mason had told him that he couldn't take pain if he didn't care, and he'd never cared about anyone more than Liam. He was everything. A loud, angry mess of a beta who had given so much to save Theo, and still wouldn't even give himself the credit. So Theo thought of that. He thought of the way Liam had argued with his entire pack over Theo's fate. He thought of the fact that Liam had not only brought him back from eternal punishment with Kira's sword, but then proceeded to break it for him too. He thought of the little things, like how passionate he got when talking about history, and how flustered he looked whenever Theo said anything remotely complimentary. He just thought of Liam, the boy sitting in front of him, covered in blood because he wanted to get revenge on someone for killing another kid who'd beaten him within an inch of his life. Because that's who he was.

Theo's eyes opened as he felt pain coursing through his body—Liam's pain, he realized. Liam was just staring at him, wide-eyed, like he was reading every one of Theo's thoughts right in front of his eyes. Finally, Theo let go, both because of the amount of pain he was feeling and because Liam had stopped shaking.

He moved his hand over to the arrow, and looked up at Liam to see if he'd stop him. Liam just gave a small nod and Theo pulled the arrow out as quickly and smoothly as he could, and then placed a hand over top of the wound with a bit of pressure. It'd heal now, but he still didn't really want to see Liam bleeding everywhere.

"Why'd you do that?" Liam whispered, looking and sounding much calmer without the pain overwhelming his senses. 

"Someone had to save you," Theo said back with a smirk that was so forced, that even Liam's oblivious self would definitely notice. He just frowned though, refusing to hold eye contact with Theo. 

"Why do you even care about joining the pack? And why help me, Scott's the one who gets to decide anyway." Liam exhaled frustratedly.

"God, you really can't take a hint." Theo said teasingly, earning a halfhearted glare in response. "Everything I've done is for you, Liam. _You._ Not Scott. I don't care about Scott."

"And you care about me?"

"Listen to my heart and tell me if I'm lying."

"We both know you can keep your heartbeat steady."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Fine, then listen to your best friend. Mason said you can only take pain if you care. Doesn't that mean something?" 

Liam finally looked back up at him, eyes narrowed like he was searching Theo's face for any signs of lying.

"Why me?" Liam asked plainly.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Theo moved closer, throwing one leg over to the other side of Liam's, so he was straddling his thighs. He held his face inches away from Liam's and gave a playful smirk and raised his eyebrow, checking to be sure this was all okay. Liam's eyes flicked to his lips, and that was enough of an invitation for Theo, who brought his hands up to his face gently and closed the gap, slowly and then all at once. Liam brought his hands up to Theo's waist, holding him just above the hips as he leaned into the kiss like he'd wanted it to happen this entire time.

When Theo pulled away, he opened his eyes slowly, unsure if he'd find any regret on the other boy's face, and was relieved to find none.

"Get it now?" Theo asked in a playful tone.

"Yeah, I do, and I care about you too." 

Theo smiled as he stood and held out a hand for Liam, who took it gratefully and then brushed himself off.

"Good, now let's go kick some hunter ass so we can get out of here and do more of that."

**Author's Note:**

> is making out in the hospital in the middle of a war practical? no. have theo and liam done a lot of practical things? also no. practical doesn't involve hitting a ghost rider with a sink on wheels and they'll kiss wherever they want


End file.
